Vendée Globe. “Woman, mother and wife, without possible communication?” How to deal with the absence of skippers in the race?

While her companion circumnavigated the world at sea in 2020, Hortense Hébrard set out to meet those who, like her, were experiencing the adventure of the Vendée Globe race, on land alone. From these testimonies a documentary was born: “Vendée Globe, three months without you”.

Setting out to fulfill their dream, the adventurous sailors of the Vendée Globe are determined to take on the race alone, for three months and without assistance.

Four years of intense organization are necessary for sailors before embarking on a Vendée Globe, supported by their partner. The start of the race marks the beginning of a time of separation, not so easy for those who remain on land.

In 2020, in apprehension about the absence of her husband, skipper Clément Giraud, Hortense Hébrard was asked a question:

“How will I organize myself? In his absence, how can I define myself as a woman, mother and wife?”.

And the others? How do they do it? She went to meet them. A way to answer his questions, and probably also to give a purpose to these 3 months of waiting.

“This is a very profound investment. There is a lot of adventure, mystery and the unexpected. You have to have resistance, strategy, relevance over time, you have to be tenacious and good over time, that’s what’s complicated “.

The words spoken by Jacques Caraës, Race Director of the Vendée Globe, at the start of the 2020 edition of “the Everest of the seas”, have a double resonance.

“Relevance, strategy, resistance”, these words also resonate for the companions who remained on land. It is for them, once the start is launched, a completely different challenge, where again, you have to have a strong heart.

Sandrine Cousin, wife of Manuel Cousin, confides in the director. For her, the rewards are at the start of the races.

“See them leave, she saidthat’s the reward. I’m not sad, meven though I know it’s going to be long and very difficult.” The nights are particularly hard for her. She anticipates the storms, but dreads the phone call.

Anne-Laure Bertin, companion of Thomas Ruyant, takes refuge in the family cocoon or that of relatives, but also in her independent profession.

Once he leaves, I don’t want to talk to anyone. I have to be with very close people. I can no longer fulfill my role as “wife of”. It’s impossible.

Laure-Anne Bertin

Companion of Thomas Ruyant

Halvard Mabire is the companion of Miranda Merron, who took part in the race alone. Technical project manager, preparer and navigator, he was entirely involved in the preparation. The damage to the boat is his main anxiety.

With Miranda, the couple built on the projects. He underlines the particularity of his “proactive” couple. “We do weird jobs“, he said. “You have to have the same thirst for projects and adventures for the couple to hold together.”. But time is long and today, without her, he is no longer moving forward.

So, he confides, “It’s time for Miranda to come back, otherwise I’ll get into the habit of not doing anything, for life.”

We only live by projects. Being proactive is both a quality, but if you live with someone who wants to settle down, at that point, it can no longer be done.

Halvard Mabire

Companion of Miranda Merron

Tifenn Seguin does not think about the disability of her husband, a navigator, born without a left hand. What could worry her is the tenacity of her husband Damien Seguin: “Damien is such a racer and he wants to finish his race so badly, that’s what worries me.”.

Director of communications and sponsorship in the sailing world, she shares the same professional environment and understands that they share the same passion.

However, after ten years of experience, she learned to have a life, in the absence of her husband.almost normal” she declares.

It’s a family project. Everyone lives on that. Even if it’s important to spread things out a bit, that’s what I’m here for. I manage external relations.

Tifenn Seguin

wife of Damien Seguin

Aurélia Mouraud also shares the same professional background as her husband, Alan Roura. Since he went to sea, she has learned to distinguish professional urgency from the urgency of her role as a mother. “Between us, balance has been established en putting a little less pressure on the work part” she said.

Life goes on, we are not waiting, like in the mystified images. I don’t feel like I’m living in his shadow.

Aurélia Mouraud

wife of Alan Roura

Despite very tense periods, between her work and her children, Anne-Laure Bertin absolutely does not regret the choice of not being part of her husband Thomas’ project.

“I’m not involved in Thomas’ project professionally and I think it’s better. It’s more complicated, in terms of organization, but I’m happy that everything doesn’t depend on Thomas’ work”.

I don’t have the impression that it is more difficult than the four years we have just lived with this challenge in mind. He’s caught up in his job, before, during and after, it’s 2000%. These are professions of passion.

Anne-Laure Bertin

Companion of Thomas Ruyant

Anne-Laure Bertin also thinks that communication is not essential during the race. “Everyone leads their own lifeshe said. I want him to disconnect from communication with the earth. A little message is enough from time to time”.

Their ways of participating directly or indirectly in the Vendée Globe adventure, it is the experience of these three months alone, at sea and on land, which is told in Hortense Hébrard’s film “Vendée Globe, three months without you “.

It will be broadcast on Thursday January 16 in the second part and evening on France 3 Bretagne, and now on the france.tv website.